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Pictured from left are Sulphur Springs ATA Martial Arts Academy Top Ten qualifiers and 2009 Texas State Champions Calvin Perry and Daron Bilyeu (certified instructor), Top Ten qualifier Josh Schwen, Top Ten qualifier and 2009 Texas State Champion Cristina Perry, and 2009 Texas State Champion Christina Shadix. Staff photo by Cindy Roller
These ATA (American Taekwondo Association) athletes join the Top Ten Qualifiers, along side their accomplishments were 2009 Texas State Champions Calvin Perry, Christina Shadix, and Bilyeu.
The Top Ten qualifiers will compete in the 2009 World Championship event the weekend of June 25-26 in Little Rock, Ark. Those involved will be Daron Bilyeu - qualifier men's second—third degree in the 30-39 age group for weapons, Calvin Perry - qualifier boys first-degree in the 14-16 year old division of weapons, Cristina Perry - qualifier women's first-degree in the 17-29 in old division for sparring and weapons, and Josh Schwen - qualifier men's first-degree in the 17-29 group of weapons.
After her experience as the Tiny Tiger instructor, Cristina Perry, first-degree Black Belt and certified instructor, recently took a position teaching at Sustaire's ATA Karate for Kids in Murphy, Texas. “I love working with kids,” said Perry, now two months into her new position. In 2008, she was awarded the Texas State Champion X-treme Forms and X-treme Weapons. For this year's competition, she will be sparring (fighting with hands and feet) and for her weapon of choice-the broad sword. These events keep her in workouts twice a week and she is involved in four classes a week.
“I have always wanted to do this since I was a kid,” Perry said. Her favorite event is sparring, she explained that the X-treme Forms allows room for a more personal creativeness. Perry has been so creative in her training, she worked herself into a disjointed pinky finger on her right hand. “My parents were a little worried at first, but they knew I could hold my own ground.” Perry isn't going to let her injury stop her from the upcoming competition as she has opted to await treatment until after so the healing does not interfere.
Cristina Perry uses her broad sword to challenge fellow athlete Christina Shadix and her long sword. The two display their skills acquired at the Sulphur Springs ATA Martial Arts Academy. Staff photo by Cindy Roller
In competition, Taekwondo athletes are judged by a panel of three peers. “It is a honor to judge,” she explained. “Everything we do goes towards our overall point total. In an event, in the two minute time frame, the first opponent to reach five or the athlete ahead in points is declared the winner.”
Perry is the oldest of eight children. For them, martial arts is a family affair, with the entire Coe and Jeannie Perry family participatants at the Sulphur Springs ATA Academy. In fact, Cristina's younger brother, Calvin will be accompanying her for his first time. “The (learned) discipline applies to everything,” said her brother. “It takes lots of practice working with the broad sword (composed of a heavy plastic curved blade). You have to work at it until it is an extension of your body,” Calvin said. Both siblings are three year veterans of the Sulphur Springs ATA school.
“I have always loved martial arts,” Perry said. “It will always be something I do even after school.” Perry is in the tenth grade and he along with his siblings are all being homeschooled.
In 2008, Josh Schwen, son of Jack and Lois Schwen, had the honor of being at the top of the winners stand with his world title in the first-degree black belt. He intends to repeat that honor this year with four years of training under his belt. “I chose the nunchucks, one of the harder weapons. It has been really fun,” Schwen said.
Schwen hasn't been idol much since last year as he has started his new job at Lowe's in February, following in the footsteps of his big brother. He recently was named to the Dean's List at Paris Junior College. Schwen plans to finish school at the Tech Center and continue his education at Texas A&M. “I am hoping to repeat,” he said, “but with this sometimes you learn more by losing than winning. Of course, it is nice to win.”
Moving to a faster musical beat is Christina Shadix in her use of the double chucks (two sets of nunchucks). Shadix tied for first the 2009 Texas State Championship for weapons for her age and gender division with Thuy Vy Hynh of Houston. Shadix took the outright first place in the X-treme weapon for the Texas State Championship for her color belt division with her use of the long sword.
For the past two and half years, Shadix has used her experience to counsel younger ATA athletes. She also has worked as a special education teacher focusing on children with autism. “I use my skills to help me release some of my energy,” said Shadix, traveling from Saltillo.
Desiring a change in her environment, Shadix is using her skills in her next course of action. “I am planning on going into the Mount Pleasant 16-week police academy,” she said hoping she will still be able to remain in the area.
Fourth-degree Black Belt and owner of the school Melissa Bilyeu described the levels of black belt and how a student must spend a year equal to each degree. "So a student must spend a minimum of one year for a first-degree, two years on a second-degree, and so on," she said. She currently outranks her husband by five years with 10 years as the owner of the Sulphur Springs ATA Academy. "To pass to the next level of belt, there is a physical test, an 84-move skill test, must be a certified ATA teacher, compile hours of training all year, judge, and visit other schools as a guest to assist in training — all goes into what an athlete must do to move onto the next color or degree of belt," explained Bilyeu.
The school currently has about 90 students enrolled in classes ranging from three year olds to grandparents.
Sulphur Springs ATA Martial Arts Academy co-owner and certified instructor, Daron Bilyeu trains his son, 20-month old Nathan the art of kicking. Bilyeu holds high hopes for him to follow the path of taekwondo. Staff photo by Cindy Roller
Bilyeu came into the business by the influence of his wife of three years and co-owner, Melissa. And his desire to lose weight, in fact, this past year he has managed to drop 50 pounds with the use of his teaching skills and diet. "In June of 2006 we got married, in July I passed my Black Belt test, and in August I bought this school," Daron Bilyeu said with a smile. Also making the couple smile is their newest addition, 20-month old Nathan. Even at his young age, he knows their favor letters of the alphabet — ATA.
According the the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) website, this organization is the premier North American organization dedicated to the martial arts discipline of taekwondo, and is the founding organization of other international affiliates that include the World Traditional Taekwondo Union (WTTU) and the Songahm Taekwondo Federation (STF). Counting both the U.S. and worldwide, these organizations have over 1,500 independently owned and operated licensed schools and clubs, and have registered over one million students since the ATA's inception in 1969. Since the first class was taught many years ago, the focus of the program has remained the same: to provide students the highest quality martial arts instruction available in a safe and positive learning environment that people of all ages can enjoy.
The Sulphur Springs ATA Martial Arts can be found online at www.sulphurspringsata.com. The school offers classes for the very young three-years in the Tiny Tiger Cubbies to programs for the 4-6 year olds with Karate for Kids, classes for 6-12 young adults to family training. The school has a Black Belt Club to train using advanced skills in weapons and sparring. There is also a leadership program for ATA X-treme to enhance creativity and an ATA FIT program that helps train the body using fun and innovative techniques.
The academy also provides seasonal seminars including ground fighting, cardio kickboxing, and women's self defense. To find out more information contact Daron or Melissa Bilyeu.
So, the final ATA Top Ten Standings were released last week, and I came in at 8th place. Although, there was a big three-way tie at the bottom, so if all of those guys come to the tournament as well, then I won't be in the first three to go. I have a lot of work to do over the next few weeks if I want to try to move up during the actual competition. I will be competing on Thursday, June 25th.
After this weekend, I am going to make my second top ten in the last three years. I went to the Little Rock tournament with some of my students. I picked up a second place in weapons to give me a enough points to move up a few places on the list. Now it's a wait and see game to find out where on the list I end up. I'm really hoping to end at least #7 on the list so that I can get out of the first three. I'll keep updating when the point standings are listed on ATA's web site.
For the first time since we were newly married, Melissa and I competed in the same ATA taekwondo tournament. She had been taking time off after having Nathan and earning her new rank. We had a great time in Dallas, although having to wait 35 minutes to get our car out in the morning sure wasn't the best. Maybe we're just too small town minded...
Anyway. I got first in weapons and third in the other two events. This means that with the points I've gotten already this year, that I should be solidly in the Top Ten and will compete in the World Championships in June. This will be my second time going, so hopefully, I'll do better than last time.
But before I competed, Melissa got to join her new 30-39 4th and 5th degree black belt ring. She was so nervous after having been out so long, but she did a great job. She ended up getting second in weapons and second in sparring. She even only missed placing in forms by one point. Not bad for not competing in two years!
So now, I will be taking some students to Little Rock next weekend for the final tournament of the season. Then it's down to watching the ATA website and seeing where the final point totals end up.
Nathan was bowing at the end of every class tonight. So we decided to try and get him on camera when we got home.
This gong came in for our belt promotion ceremony and Nate just had to try it.
This weekend, we had professional photographers come in to take the pictures of our taekwondo students. Well, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to show off our cute son. So Melissa made a little uniform from a pattern and I iron on transfered all the logos to give Nate his uniform. It says "Future Champ" on the back and has his name, just like our leadership uniforms.
BubbleShare: Share photos - Play some Online Games.
Our taekwondo leadership students were taking their CPR certification class over the weekend, and we got to playing around a little bit with the baby CPR doll. I think the doll is bigger.
Tonight we packed up Nathan and took him to Allen for my mid-term at Master Sustaire's Black Belt Extravaganza testing. Everyone at his school had been dying to see Nathan, so we dressed him up in a shirt that read. "Warning Martial Artist in Training." Since it was cold, however, we couldn't put him the shorts that say "I fight dirty."
Anyway, I did a pretty good job on the midterm. Of course, this was just the first midterm since I just got my second degree in September.
Well, Mel is coming down to the last little bit of being pregnant. Now beginning Week number 35, Nathan is getting very close to full term. He's kicking like crazy now, giving us great hope of a black belt baby in there. The funniest times are when her entire belly moves from a kick. He's got some power.
We've got a busy week coming up with some youth ministry events Sunday and Wednesday, some new Tiny Tiger sign-ups, rehearsals for the play, and then the tournament in Austin Friday and Saturday. Follow that up with the beginning of my church's Revival services on Sunday. We don't know how we're ever going to be able to wait so much longer for Nathan to get here. We can't wait to hold him and to take care of him. Six weeks away, and we already love him.
So now Daron is catching up with Mel in rank. Well, not really, but I did test for 2nd degree black belt today and passed! The ranking is on Tuesday. This was, most likely, Melissa's last test while pregnant, and people were asking about her all night. It's nice that other people are really looking forward to Nathan coming just like we are.
So today, the ladies from the taekwondo school threw a surprise baby shower for Mel at the church that some of them go to. They did a great job putting it on and we got some wonderful stuff for Nathan. We were treated to a cake with a little black belt teddy bear on top made of cake.
Things are starting to get very real for us as we put away all the clothes and things they gave Nathan. Now with the baby showers beginning and her belly moving on a nightly basis, this is going to be very soon!
holding the "bundle of joy" made of bodysuits, hats, and baby stuff.
the baby black belt cake.
Ok, so it has been a while since we updated the blog (sorry Mom) so here goes with the post
"What's been going on in our lives"
So I guess the first story is about the ATA World Championships. We went to Little Rock where I got the chance to take some training Ground Fighting that we're going to be using at the school. I had a really good time at that, however... well more about that later. Then I competed in the Top Ten Finals for 1st Degree Black Belt Weapons. I finished 8th which was one spot higher than I came in, so I consider that a kind of victory.
Then, Melissa went home, and I picked up a rental car and drove to Lake of the Ozarks Missouri, and met the youth group for camp. We had a wonderful time at this very big camp. I'll put up more about that later at my own blog.
While at camp, I couldn't help but notice that while the normal being sore in the muscles was going away, a pain in my ribcage wasn't. As the week went on, it got steadily worse. I was hurting the whole camp, but didn't want to go to a strange doctor, so I waited until we got home. It turned out that I had cracked a rib during the ground fighting seminar. So I'm just now getting back to where I can spar and do most of the taekwondo. Even with the cracked rib, I tested and am now a 2nd degree recommended black belt. One more test before I'm officially a 2nd.
Melissa is doing wonderfully being pregnant. Nathan is beginning to show his own black belt skills, kicking her almost every night. Some of them have been getting so hard that he is able to bounce objects off her belly. It seems to be that her big symptom is going to be in her legs. She has been waking up every morning with huge leg cramps and her ankles are swelling to the size of her shoulders. So now she has to wear these support socks (knee highs) to keep her circulation going... in Texas... in July... while doing taekwondo. She hates the the very idea, but it's been working. Of course, those are my pajama pants she's wearing in the picture. :)
In fact, we've been joking around that her pregnancy is going too well. We've only had the initial ultrasound and the 20-week one. We're probably only going to get one more before Nathan comes. We really want to see the little guy again, but since the pregnancy is going normal, we don't need to. :( Too bad.
The baby's room (or area of the room) is coming along nicely. My mom sent some wall hangings and the mobile all in the jungle animal theme we were looking for. It's going to finish up very nicely by the time all the baby showers are over. We can't wait for the little guy to come and be in that bed!
Last week, Melissa and I went out to Dallas to use the gift she gave me for our anniversary. We went to go see the musical Spamalot, based on the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. So our little guy has already been to two Broadway musicals before he is even born.
Anyway, I'm hoping I've covered most of what has been going on in the lives of the Bilyeu family. We're going to make sure that these updates come more and more often. Later.
So here we are in Little Rock at the ATA World Championships. So far, Mel has been able to just sit back, relax, and watch while I have been tossed, thrown, put into various arm locks and had a great time learning some Jiu-Jitsu. Then I competed in the Top Ten competition and claimed my Top Ten bar for my uniform. Now tomorrow we get to go to the School Owners training and learn about the Kids self defense program ATA is going to run in September.
Melissa passed her fourth degree test in Southlake last night! So for those keeping track, Meli now outranks me 4th degree to 1st degree.
We went to Mr. Goodman's school in Southlake to test with Master Sustaire judging. Mel had some accommodations for being pregnant, but still had to go out there and do everything she knew as a 3rd degree, including sparring. Thankfully, she was given Ms. Nero as a sparring partner who understood.
She popped all three boards on the first try. I was out on the floor holding boards and got to hold her front kick board.
So now it's time to take that black ribbon we bought in February and sew it on to her dobok pants. 4th degree black belts wear a black stripe down their pants to signify their rank. Meli says she is going to enter every room she goes into at worlds sideways so everyone can see.
